


we're together, i'm not scared anymore

by borntovixx



Series: #00FFTOBER [2]
Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: 00fftober, Alternate Universe - Non-Famous, Flashbacks, Fluff, High School Students NCT Dream, M/M, NCT Dream - Freeform, changes of POV, it's just fluff, renjun is scared, soft
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-08
Updated: 2019-10-08
Packaged: 2020-11-15 12:41:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,775
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20866400
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/borntovixx/pseuds/borntovixx
Summary: In the silence of the room, the only sounds coming from the storm going on outside, he wished Jeno would be there.He tried to hide under the blankets to smoothen the rumble of thunder, but it was too dark and he felt his fear crumbling up, making him tremble uncontrollably.When he tried to close his eyes he saw the bright light that blinded him that day, the tree burning and he felt electricity flowing through his skin and bones.He opened his eyes and took off the covers, his breathing fast and irregular.He heard the door opening and his eyes lit up when he saw Jeno, drenched from head to toe, taking off his shoes and throwing his backpack on the ground.PROMPT #9: STORM of #00FFTOBER + #8, #26 of fictober on Tumblr





	we're together, i'm not scared anymore

**Author's Note:**

> i am so excited to post this, i love noren so so much!!!  
i'm glad i finished before university started because it has been one week and i am already dying,,, but at least i managed to bring this to reality.
> 
> this is some self-indulgent fluff, written for myself and all the noren stans out there!!
> 
> i want to thank my dear friend [Ilaria](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dazed_and_Inked/pseuds/Dazed_and_Inked) for being my beta reader for this fic! 
> 
> also, the title comes from a NEX7 song Renjun recommended on his radio show ([在一起](https://open.spotify.com/track/4M2m05XgVNjbyD79sdHszY?si=PcSCCVMpSwOT4SvYWRPIZQ), so yeah, stan NEX7 y'all, Renjun told you to! 

_ **#9: STORM + #8, #26 of fictober on Tumblr** _

Renjun couldn't help but tremble like a leaf, thunder getting closer each time they fell from the sky, strong and loud.

He didn't mind the rain, he just hated when it got too heavy, when it tapped loudly on the windows of his room, making it impossible for him to sleep. Not that he would have been able to that, with a storm raging outside.

He had always been scared of storms, ever since a thunder struck so close when he was ten years old and it almost killed him.

**§**

He was in his home's backyard, playing hide and seek with his little brother and his cousins.

It was raining, but that didn't stop them from keeping the game on. The rain was light, caressing his skin, giving him comfort and cooling him down after hours they had spent playing under the sun.

Storm clouds appeared in the thundery sky, and the rain got heavy. The garden got muddy and slippery very quickly, but he didn't mind them, still determined to win the game.

He stayed there for a minute or two, the rain soaking his clothes as he hid behind a bush.

  
When his mother called them back he decided to give up winning and come out from his hiding spot, as the rain got almost unbearable. The wind furied, making him shiver in his soaked clothes. Before he could reach the safety of his house a bright light blinded his eyes, followed by a loud explosion that made the ground shake under his feet. He fell on his butt, his hands barely lessening the impact. He saw the tree in his backyard turned into ashes, smoke being the last traces of the flame that burnt it.

He couldn't stop shaking as his mum had taken him inside, taking off his dirty shoes and drying him up with a towel.

He couldn't say anything as his mother helped him washing himself up, still too scared. He could have died.

He was exactly where the thunder had stricken. If he had waited a few seconds longer he would have died, struck by a lightning. It would have been too fast to even notice, and that's was had scared him the most.

The unpredictability of a fatality like that made him shake to the core.

**§**

That happened years ago, but things hadn't changed that much.

He grew up, moved to another city to study, and shared a room in a dormitory with probably the nicest flatmate he could have wished for.

He got his first part time job, a five hours shift three days a week in a small cat café which he didn't mind at all, because it meant not only that he saw kittens a lot, but also that his roommate was always there to keep him company, playing with the cats despite his light allergy to their fur.

His first girlfriend, who he dated for a few months, only to realise that maybe he wasn't that into girls. His first heartbreak. His first hangover at a frat party.

He grew up, but he brought with him his fear of storms.

He was on his own, a lamp lighting the room softly as he read a book before going to sleep.

His roommate wasn't there. He should have gotten back already, and he couldn't help but worry about him.

Jeno was probably one of the best people he'd ever met, he was nice, kind and made funny jokes, even though he would never admit to anyone he found them funny, especially not to Jeno. That would only give him a reason to make non-stop jokes, and he wasn’t ready for that.

He kept his side of the room clean and tidy, he really loved cats, judging by the hours he spent watching cat videos on Instagram, and he had a strange addiction to skincare. He tapped cream on his face so loud that sometimes it woke him up. It sounded painful, but Jeno didn't seem to mind it.

He had the cutest smile, gleaming brown eyes and soft-looking cheeks, despite his sharp face features. He couldn't deny he was objectively very handsome, as if him having a lot of admirers wasn't enough of a proof, but his personality was his most attractive feature.

Renjun loved spending time with him, and he always appreciated his company, even when it meant simply being in the same room, each of them getting some time for themselves.

In the silence of the room, the only sounds coming from the storm going on outside, he wished Jeno would be there.

He tried to hide under the blankets to smoothen the rumble of thunder, but it was too dark and he felt his fear crumbling up, making him tremble uncontrollably.

When he tried to close his eyes he saw the bright light that blinded him that day, the tree burning and he felt electricity flowing through his skin and bones.

He opened his eyes and took off the covers, his breathing fast and irregular.

He heard the door opening and his eyes lit up when he saw Jeno, drenched from head to toe, taking off his shoes and throwing his backpack on the ground.  
  
"Renjun, I'm back! I forgot my umbrella. Luckily Jaemin gave me a lift, otherwise it would have taken even longer to get back. I'm sorry I couldn't warn you about being late but my phone died, and we got stuck in the traffic so I couldn't come earlier _and_—"

  
  
Renjun hugged him tightly, not minding his clothes getting wet. He was just too happy to see him to care about that.

Jeno was back, he came back safe and sound. The storm was frightful and violent, he was worried something could have happened to him, but it hadn't.

A single tear run down his cheek, his face pressed on the other's chest.

Jeno felt Renjun shaking slightly, and run a hand through his hair.

"You're shaking... are you okay?” Jeno asked while he kept petting the other’s head, knowing it would calm him down. Renjun lift his head and nodded, smiling widely.

“The thunderstorm got violent and I got worried. You weren’t here and I was alone... I- I was scared. But now you’re here, you’re okay so... I feel safe, I’m not scared anymore,” he said, feeling his cheeks heat up as he hid his face in the crook of Jeno’s neck.

Even though he was soaked with rain he could still smell the fresh scent of his cologne, the softness of vanilla combined with the richness of sandalwood reminded him of warm summer days, the sun caressing his skin as he lays on the soft grass of the park near their dormitory, Jeno’s soothing voice humming as he strums his acoustic guitar, his skin glowing in the golden hour.

Sheet lightning brightened the sky, the rain drumming on the window filled the silence in the room. It was a comfortable silence, the two of them simply enjoying each other’s company.

Renjun felt his heart beating fast, and he wasn’t that sure the storm was the one to blame.

Jeno looked at him, his lips curled up in a warm and sincere smile. Then he felt a shiver going down his spine, his clothes starting to feel sticky on him.

"Oh!" he said, as he noticed Renjun's now wet pajamas sticking to his chest and stomach, "I'm so sorry! I shouldn't have hugged you that long while wearing soaked clothes!"

"I'm the one who hugged you first, don't worry about it. You should worry about yourself though, don't you feel cold? It's kinda freezing outside."

"Y-Yeah, I guess I forgot about that," he admitted.

_You keep me warm enough._

His cheeks turned red at the cheesiness of this own thoughts, but he couldn't help it. He was helplessly head over heels for Renjun, and being with him all the time only made him crush each day a little bit harder.

He even visited the cat café every time Renjun had a shift, with the excuse of petting the cats, while he did that mostly because he missed him too much.

"Go get a shower, there should be some hot water left. I don't want you to get sick."

Renjun said, as he proceeded to change his wet pajamas to a dry one. Jeno tried not to let his eyes linger too long on the other's body. His tummy still looked soft, but he could see the outline of abs beginning to form after weeks of constant training and dancing and he wondered how it would feel like to touch—

"Oh my God!" he shouted, flushing furiously. He took a change of clothes and locked himself in the bathroom. He looked at his reflection in the mirror, his hair still wet and his cheeks red like a tomato, and covered his face with his hands, embarrassed.

_What am I thinking?_

He run the water, waiting for it to become warm.

He couldn't stop thinking about the hug, how Renjun held him tight, making his heart beat so fast he thought it was going to explode. He felt Renjun's heart beating just as fast, probably because he was scared... that must have been the reason, right? It's not like he could feel the same... _could he?_

Jeno got in the shower, letting the warm water clear away the tiredness of the day and his confused thoughts.

Renjun wore an oversized t-shirt he found in one of his drawers, which he didn't remember owning, and tucked himself in the bed.

It was still pouring outside, but he didn't feel the fear he felt before. His heart was still beating fast, but it had nothing to do with fear. More with the feeling of Jeno's hand in his hair, the other one caressing his back to calm him. He could still feel the warmth of his touch. He felt giddy, the butterflies in the stomach kind of giddiness.

_Do I have a crush on him? Do I?_ He thought of Jeno's smile at him as he played with his favourite cat at the café, of how he managed to look beautiful in the morning even with fuzzy bed hair and pillow marks on his cheeks, and of his adorable laugh. Oh my God, I _do_ have a crush on him! Oh my God, I have a crush _on my roommate_... how cliché is that?

While he went through a mental breakdown, Jeno came out of the bathroom, his hair falling in front of his eyes, looking soft as he combed them with his hand. He was wearing joggers and a tank top, and Renjun couldn't help glancing at his toned arms as he applied his moisturizer. He grunted, hiding his face in the pillow._ Ugh, this is going to be hard_.

"Oh, I'm sorry! I'll try not to make too much noise. I'm almost done anyway!" Jeno turned to his roommate, splayed on his bed, in an oversized t-shirt that made him look him adorable. _Wait a minute..._  
"Is that my t-shirt?" he said, while he tried to process the image of Renjun wearing his shirt and looking extremely cute in it.

"Oh! I didn't realise it, I just saw it in my drawer and I took it. I can give it back if you want!" Renjun said, sitting up and pulling on the hem of the shirt to take it off.

Jeno flushed, his mind going back to the thoughts he had earlier.

"O-oh, no no! Don't worry! Y-You can keep it! It looks better on you."

Renjun blushed, feeling Jeno's eyes lingering on him. He lowered his head, and couldn't hold a shy smile, both from embarrassment and giddiness.

Jeno stood up to get into his bed, when a thunder struck near their building, rumbling loudly and making the lights go off.

Renjun screamed, covering his ears with his hands on instinct.

Jeno turned on the light on his desk, and made his way to Renjun's bed, turning on the lamp on his nightstand as well.

He sat on close to Renjun and pulled him in a hug. He hugged him tightly, as he rested his head on Jeno's shoulder, trying hard not to cry.

Renjun squeezed his eyes shut, focusing on the sound of their breathing. He listened to their heartbeats, wondering what made Jeno's heart beat that fast.

They just stood there for what felt like hours, in silence, as Jeno did his best to calm him down.

"U-uh, thank you, Jeno. For this. I feel a lot better now," Renjun turned his head, his mouth only inches away from Jeno's neck. He felt the other shiver, grabbing his t-shirt lightly.

"No worries. I'm glad I could help somehow," he said, breaking the hug and smiling at Renjun fondly. He yawned, feeling dozy as he could barely keep his eyes open. He stood up, making his way to his bed, when he felt a hand grabbing his wrist.

"Can you stay here? The storm hasn’t blown over yet, and I don’t want to get scared shitless in the middle of the night because a thunder. I mean, if you don’t want and you just want to sleep in your own bed I completely understand.”

Jeno snorted, his lips curving in a smile.

“ Of course I don’t mind sleeping with you, silly. C’mon, make some space for me,” he said, climbing into the bed next to Renjun. The bed wasn’t that big, the two of them barely fitting. Their knees touched, and he felt warmth radiate from the other’s body, making the bed comfortably warm. His eyes felt heavy, yawning as he suddenly felt sleepy, tired after being awake that long.

“Yeah, we should probably sleep now, it’s getting kinda late,” Jeno said, his eyes sparkling as he smiled at him. “Do you mind being the little spoon? That way we can save some space.”

Renjun couldn't thinking straight, his mind too focused on how close they were to even formulate a coherent answer. He felt the other's breath on his lips, their noses almost touching, and he looked up only to see Jeno glancing at his lips, less discretely than he thought. If he got just a little bit closer they would kiss. More like a peck on the lips. But still a kiss nonetheless.

"Y-Yeah, I mean. No. I don't mind being the little spoon." And he didn't, it actually made him feel safer, being in Jeno's arms.

He should have turned around, finally going to sleep like he wanted to hours ago, but he couldn't move. He kept his eyes on Jeno's face, memorizing every detail of it, until they went back to his lips.

"Renjun, is it okay if I kiss you?" Jeno asked, his eyes trembling as they locked on his, waiting for consent. He could see the other starting to panic as he received no answer, so he simply nodded and closed the distance between them, placing a hand on the other's cheek and his lips on his.

It was just a light peck, their lips touched only for a few seconds. Renjun moved back and saw Jeno's eyes sparkling as mouth curled in a smile.

"I've wanted to do that for a while" he admitted, caressing Renjun's cheek with his thumb.

"Me too. I was just too much of a coward to admit to myself that I have a huge crush on you. But I do. I like you, Jeno. And I would it like a lot if we kissed again."

Jeno chortled and kissed him again. His hand went to the back of Renjun's neck to bring him closer, and then went through his hair to feel the softness of it between his fingers. Renjun deepened the kiss, tilting his head to get better access.

When they ran out of breath Renjun moved back, giving him a small kiss on his nose before turning around, his back pressed on Jeno's chest. Jeno placed an arm around the other's waist, intertwining his hand with Renjun's smaller one.  
  
"Good night, sleep well" he said, leaving a kiss on the back of his head and then smiling widely.

"Good night. With you here with me I'm sure I will"

Renjun could still hear the storm raging outside, the thunder and the strong wind making the rain tap heavily on their room's window, but he didn't care, as he let the sound of their heartbeats lull him to sleep.

Between Jeno's arms he felt safe, and the storm didn't scare him that much anymore.

**Author's Note:**

> thank you for reading, comments and kudos are always appreciated!!


End file.
